Transition

Concentration of CO2 in the Atmosphere

February 18 Green Energy News

Opinion:

“Benefits of a 100% renewable New York” How does this sound for New Yorkers: saving $2,000 in annual energy costs – or saving $4,100 per person in energy, health and climate costs each year? [Investigative Post]

“Amory Lovins: energy visionary sees renewables revolution in full swing” From the Hypercar to home insulation, the early visions of the influential physicist are becoming a reality. “Heating systems are so 20th century,” he says. [The Guardian]

Science and Technology:

EU targets of 30% for renewables and 40% energy savings by 2030 would be likely to lead to cuts of between 45% and 54% in greenhouse gas emission reductions compared with 1990 levels, according to a report. [reNews]

World:

China is set to become the global leader for electric vehicle (EV) fast charging. ABB, a power and automation technology group, is working together with Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. on the rollout of a record EV fast-charger network. [CleanTechnica]

DRAX today said that its transformation to become a predominantly renewable power provider is well underway. During 2013, its earnings before interest taxation, depreciation and amortization fell by 23% reflecting increasing carbon costs. [Yorkshire Post] (DRAX is converting the largest coal-burning station in the UK to biomass.)

According to a recent report from Navigant Research, the portion of energy consumption in the mining industry supplied by renewable energy will grow from less than 0.1% to at least 5% – and possibly up to 8% – by 2022. [Digitimes]

Egypt’s domestic market may reach 80% usage for new and renewable energy by 2025, according to Mohamed Moussa Oumran, first secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Electricity. [Al-Bawaba]

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program has allocated $1 million to Samoa, the Cook Islands and Kiribati for renewable energy. Much of the funding will go towards a solar system on a remote island in the Cook Islands. [Radio New Zealand]

A €34 million solar plus storage project received funding under an innovative model, in the French territory of Réunion Island. The operator will commit to an amount of electricity for the island’s grid a day in advance, making availability predictable. [RenewEconomy]

Nuclear power accounted for the largest share (29%) of domestic energy generating capacity in the European Union in 2012. It was followed by renewables (22%), solid fuels (21%), gas (17%) and oil (10%). [Energy Live News]

US:

Distributed energy resources, far from being a tiny fraction of the country’s massive central generation fleet, may account for up to one-third of the total US electricity supply by decade’s end. [Energy Collective]

A Seattle company hopes to harness some of the fiercest winds off the Pacific Coast. Principle Power has got a nod from the U.S. Department of the Interior to proceed with its application to lease 15 square miles of federal waters near Coos Bay, Oregon. [Yakima Herald-Republic]

Utah homeowners and other small customers could buy electricity produced by solar, wind and other renewable sources under a bill introduced in the Utah House. Rocky Mountain Power, the state’s largest utility, opposes the bill. [Salt Lake Tribune]

Google invested $168 million into the Ivanpah solar plant, the latest in a series of 15 investments Google has made in renewable energy in just under a year. This takes the company past the $1 billion amount for its total investment in wind and solar energy. [TechWeekEurope UK]

An Ohio state senator, backed by local car dealers has for the second time introduced a measure that would ban the sales of the Tesla Model S. So much for the unfettered free market, eh? [CleanTechnica]